So Close
by 99Luftbalon
Summary: Another one-shot based on my character Annie Black in my stories, Sweet Child of Mine: The Story of Annie Black and Boggarts. Basically this story takes place in Annie's third year at Hogwarts when Sirius is still on the run after escaping from Azkaban and how Annie is taking the pressure.


**A/N: I do not own anything Harry Potter. Here is another one-shot story based on my character, Annie, from my on-going story called ****Sweet Child of Mine: The Story of Annie Black****. Basically this story takes place in Annie's third year at Hogwarts when Sirius is still on the run after escaping Azkaban. I hope you enjoy. Happy reading! XO**

**So Close**

Annie sat against the wall in the dark Great Hall. She was scared. Scared he might get caught. Scared he might get caught and scared he might not get the chance to prove his innocence again. Scared he would receive the Dementor's Kiss, a fate worse than death.

"Annie!" Percy Weasley shouted spotting her sitting up and awake. "You should be asleep!"

"Shut up and leave me alone, Percy," she said rolling her eyes and staring up at the starry ceiling.

"Excuse me, I'm Head Boy. You cannot speak to me like that!" he said looking outraged in sliver of moonlight shining through the windows. By this time, half the students had woken up to listen to the disturbance.

"I don't care what you are, I said leave me alone, Percy," she said defiantly. Annie was getting impatient. She just wanted to be left alone to stew in her misery.

Percy puffed up his chest. "Now really, Annie, you are being quite unreasonable. There is no need for any of you to be awake right now," he said turning to look around at the whole hall. At once, the students that had woken up ducked their heads down deep into their sleeping bags. Percy crouched down so he was on level with Annie who turned away from him. "I meant you too, Annie. Professor Dumbledore wants all of you asleep."

Annie whipped her head around and looked him straight in the eyes. "I don't care what Professor Dumbledore wants. I don't care that you are Head Boy. I don't care that I should be sleeping. Just shut up and leave me alone!" she shouted, her eyes filled with fury and rage.

Percy stood up quite alarmed. "Professor McGonagall will hear about this," he said walking away and over to Sir Nicholas.

A few minutes later, Professor McGonagall walked into the Great Hall followed by Professor Lupin. They went over to Percy and they spoke quietly before Professor McGonagall made her way between the sleeping students to where Annie sat up against the wall with her legs pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. As her Professor approached, she looked up and placed her chin upon her knees.

"Come with me, Ms. Black," said Professor McGonagall reaching her student and helping her to her feet. Annie stood up and followed Professor McGonagall over to where Professor Lupin and Percy stood waiting. "I will be taking Annie with me, Mr. Weasley. Please keep me informed if you are having any more trouble."

"Of course, Professor," said Percy nodding.

Professor McGonagall led Professor Lupin and Annie out of the Great Hall and took them to her office. They walked inside and she took a seat behind her desk as Professor Lupin and Annie took the ones opposite her. She offered them each a cup of tea which Professor Lupin accepted but Annie did not and jumped right into the subject of their meeting.

"Mr. Weasley has informed me of your outburst tonight," she said looking at the young Black who looked so much like her father. Annie was sitting in the chair with her legs crossed and her arms folded across her chest looking anywhere but at her teacher.

Annie's head snapped around. "Outburst? He's the one that started it! I told him to leave me alone!" she shouted.

"Annie, please keep your voice down," Remus said looking at his niece, concern etched on his face.

"I will not keep my voice down, Remus. Merlin, Percy's such a prat," she said huffing and sitting back in her chair and looking away again.

Professor McGonagall frowned slightly. "I can see this is not really about Mr. Weasley. May I assume this is really about Sirius?" She watched her student turn to face her and uncross her legs while running both of her hands through her hair.

"He escaped, didn't he?" Annie asked, tears now shining in her eyes. "He came into Hogwarts and I didn't even get to see him."

"Annie, did you really expect him to contact you somehow? He's on the run! He hasn't even contacted me or James. How could he have possibly gotten the chance to see you?" said Remus leaving his chair and stooping down in front of Annie and taking her hands.

"Remus, he was here! Clearly he wanted to see me! And now he's gone and I didn't get to see him all because he was chased out. He was in Gryffindor Tower, why else would he be there?" she said breaking down into inconsolable sobs.

Remus dropped Annie's hands and turned to Professor McGonagall who was watching them with worry written on her face. She stood up from her desk and went to the door. "Remus, will you keep an eye on her? I'm going send for Albus and send a message to Lily and James."

"Of course," he said turning back to Annie who had lifted both of her feet off the ground and had them scrunched up to her chest. Her arms were wrapped around the top of her legs and her head was buried in her arms. As Professor McGonagall left the room, Remus ran a hand through his hair completely at a loss at what to do with his distraught niece.

"Annie, will you look at me?" he said taking her by the shoulders. She lifted her head and rested it on her arms. Her eyes shone with tears and she was sniffling. "Everything will be okay," was the only thing he could think to say.

"You don't know that. You don't know what's going to happen to him and neither do I!" she shot back and then buried her head back in her arms.

"I'm afraid she may be right, Remus." He looked toward the door where Professor Dumbledore was just walking in followed by Professor McGonagall. He took the seat behind Professor McGonagall's desk and Professor McGonagall stood behind him. Remus stood up and took his chair once more keeping a close eye on Annie who was still crying silently.

"Lily and James are on their way. They are coming by Floo Network," said Professor McGonagall glancing over at her fireplace. Annie's head perked up at the mention of her Aunt and Uncle.

"They're coming here? Now?" she asked wiping the tears from her eyes and sniffling a little.

"Yes," answered Dumbledore resting his chin on his long intertwined fingers. "But for now, we wait."

Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall watched the fireplace while Remus kept an eye on Annie who seemed to be calming down a little. For the first time that night, she was starting to feel tired. She hadn't slept at all that night and she was tired from all of her crying. She sat in her chair with her knees tucked up to her chest and sniffled, letting the occasional tear fall down her cheek. Remus reached into his pocket and pulled out a bar of Honeyduke's chocolate and broke off a piece and handed it to Annie. She smiled slightly and popped it in her mouth just as the flames in the fireplace turned green. A minute later both James and Lily were standing in Professor McGonagall's office brushing the ash off of their clothes. Remus jumped out of his chair and offered it to Lily who took it with a smile. She scooted the chair closer to Annie, took her hand and ran a hand through her niece's hair. Annie gave a weak smile and squeezed her hand and looked up at James. James walked over to Annie and picked her up and sat her down on his lap as he took her chair.

"What's going on, Professor?" James asked looking at his niece with concern. He really wanted to know how she got mixed into the whole situation. "Professor McGonagall just said that Sirius was in the castle tonight."

Lily turned to her former Headmaster and Remus patted her shoulder. "Did Annie see him?"

Professor Dumbledore spoke calmly. "Yes, Mr. Black did break into the castle tonight." Lily gasped and looked at Annie who was looking down at her hands. "How he did so we are still very unsure. And to answer your question, Lily, Ms. Black did not see him. According Fat Lady, he was angered that he was not allowed into the Tower and slashed her portrait," he explained.

"He wanted to see me! I know he did!" exclaimed Annie. She lifted her head and looked between James and Lily. She looked extremely tired and very anxious.

James wiped a tear off of her cheek and tucked a piece of hair behind her hair. "Sweetie, calm down. We don't know that for sure."

"Yes, we do!"

"Where are the rest of the students? And why isn't Annie with them?" asked Lily taking her eyes off of her niece and turning to Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore.

"Well, Ms. Black took it upon herself to cause a disturbance in the Great Hall tonight while the other students were sleeping," answered Professor McGonagall.

"I told Percy Weasley to shut up and leave me alone," Annie explained further. James and Remus laughed and Professor Dumbledore and Lily smiled. "I should've cursed him, he deserved it."

"Well, Mr. and Mrs. Potter, I will leave Ms. Black in your care. You may take her home for the rest of the weekend if she wishes," said Professor Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling as he smiled in her direction. "Perhaps to give her a chance to clear her mind before her classes on Monday." Annie gave a watery smile and nodded.

Lily and James stood up, James still holding Annie in his arms. He walked over to Professor Dumbledore and shook his hand. Lily turned to Remus and gave him a kiss on the cheek before walking over to the fireplace. James took some Floo Powder from Professor McGonagall and threw it into the fireplace and yelled "Potter's Cottage." He and Annie swirled around in the green flames before landing in the living room. They waited for Lily to join them and James took her up to her room. He threw her on the bed and gave her a kiss on the head before turning out the light and leaving the room. She grabbed her blankets and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

**A/N: I really hoped you enjoyed this Annie one-shot. I really had fun writing it. Please check out my other two stories: ****Sweet Child of Mine: The Story of Annie Black**** and my other Annie one-shot ****Boggarts****. Thanks for reading! XO**


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